Gophers basketball: U hopes Mbakwe, Williams can help end slump against Michigan State

The Gophers are 0-10 against Michigan State during the regular season under Tubby Smith.

But this time could be different because Smith finally has the frontcourt depth to challenge the physical Spartans (11-2) in Minnesota's Big Ten opener Monday, Dec. 31, at Williams Arena. The No. 11 Gophers (12-1) also are hoping the newly formed starting frontcourt of seniors Rodney Williams and Trevor Mbakwe makes a difference.

Last season, Smith had no player with at least a year of experience playing in the post after Williams moved from small forward to replace Mbakwe, who was sidelined with a right knee injury in November. Now, the Gophers have six players who have spent time in the post.

The 6-foot-8 Mbakwe hasn't played against Michigan State since 2010-11, when he averaged 15 points and nearly 10 rebounds in two games against the Spartans.

"It's been a while," he said. "It's going to be a grind-out type game, what you would call a blue-collar game. You come with your hard hat and hard boots."

The last time the Gophers had Mbakwe in the lineup against the Spartans, Smith tried to go bigger with 6-11 Ralph Sampson III, 6-10 Colton Iverson and Mbakwe starting together. The 6-7 Williams was moved to shooting guard, but that lineup didn't work.

Iverson and Sampson had trouble rotating defensively and contesting shots outside of the paint, but the Gophers don't have that problem now with a smaller but quicker frontcourt.

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Williams and Mbakwe, who started for the first time together Dec. 22 against Lafayette, are at a significant size disadvantage against Michigan State's 6-9, 280-pound Derrick Nix and 6-10, 240-pound Adreian Payne, who combined for 38 points and 18 rebounds in a win against Texas on Dec. 22.

"We have to come out and prove ourselves," Williams said. "Even when Trevor was coming off the bench, the chemistry was there, but we're going to continue to work on it."

Mbakwe, who led the Big Ten in rebounding in 2011, is averaging a team-high 7.2 rebounds this season. Nix (7.8) and Payne (7.5) rank second and third in the league in rebounding.

"That's definitely been a point of emphasis from coach, that they're one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the country," Mbakwe said. "We're going to have our hands full with them. They've got some pretty big bodies. Nix is coming off a career night (25 points and 11 rebounds). Payne's always been pretty athletic. Even Branden (Dawson) is starting to get back to his old self."

Smith can rely on his bench for more size inside, with 7-foot sophomore Elliott Eliason, who started 19 games at center, and 6-10, 295-pound sophomore Mo Walker, who will be making his Big Ten debut. After being replaced in the starting lineup by Mbakwe, Eliason didn't play against Lafayette. But Smith expects to use every post player possible to bang against the rugged Spartans.

"I like that we have depth in the frontcourt, something that we haven't had in the past," Smith said. "That's the difference. That's an area where we should exploit and can exploit to our benefit going into Big Ten play."

Walker sat out last season after blowing out his knee in December 2010, and his playing time has been limited this season because of lack of stamina. But the Ontario native had eight points and four rebounds in just 11 minutes on Dec. 22. Forwards Andre Ingram and Oto Osenieks also contributed to the 42 points scored by Minnesota's reserves against Lafayette.

"Andre Ingram, I can't say enough about how well he's playing," Smith said. "I really like his maturity. And I knew he was capable of giving us that type of experience and that type of play off the bench. I don't know about shortening (the bench). I liked the way they played. Hopefully (in the Big Ten), we'll be able to play them like we have been playing them."